Budapest Degrowth Doughnut: Towards an ecologically and socially sustainable, safe and just transition

Abstract

The growth-oriented global economic and social system is increasingly having a detrimental effect on the living world, which constitutes the foundation of human well-being. Concurrently, urbanisation, embedded in these dynamics, is generating mounting and complex urban challenges. It is therefore imperative that urban development approaches advance beyond ecomodernist green growth narratives in order to promote systemic change and facilitate local sustainability transitions. In the Hungarian context, these endeavours are further constrained by a number of factors. Firstly, there is a lack of alignment between top-down climate strategies and local specificities. Secondly, municipal authorities have limited room for manoeuvre. Thirdly, there is a weak institutionalisation of participatory governance. Within this framework, the aim of the present study is to contribute to research examining more radical, holistic approaches to urban development by presenting Budapest Degrowth Doughnut, an innovative case study based on the theoretical foundations of degrowth and doughnut economics, as well as the practice of participatory decision-making. The present study contributes to research on more holistic and transformative pathways of urban sustainability by examining this case. The analysis also demonstrates how research findings can facilitate the operationalisation of post-growth theories, particularly the degrowth doughnut framework, which integrates biophysical, cultural, and socio-economic dimensions. This operationalisation is crucial for the development of policy recommendations that support the capital's sustainability transition. The research was implemented in collaboration with the Climate and Environmental Department of the Municipality of Budapest, and was structured around a three-session workshop series. The participating experts co-created the Budapest Degrowth Doughnut framework, which includes 23 indicators, and developed a package of policy proposals organised into 12 thematic categories. In addition to defining indicators and recommendations, the process produced a sustainability narrative for the capital that articulates a locally grounded interpretation of a safe and just space and clarifies the city's perceived scope of global responsibility. The outcomes were subsequently integrated into Budapest's 2030 climate neutrality action plan within the EU's 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities initiative.